25 Romantic Songs to Walk Down the Aisle To (That You Haven't Heard a Million Times)

Gone are the days of "Here Comes the Bride"—the processional is now one of the first opportunities you have to inject personality, meaning, and romance into your wedding ceremony. It's also the song that will literally bring you down the aisle to the love of your life so, naturally, there's some pressure to find the perfect tune to accompany that big moment. That's where we come in: We consulted an expert—Danny Chaimson of the Golden Coast All Stars and Gold Coast All Stars—to identify what makes an ideal processional song and handpick some of the best.

"You want to take this already dramatic moment and find music that complements and enhances it, without overpowering it," Chaimson explains. " Ideally, the goal is to try and accomplish all of this with music that holds a special place in your heart." Another tip to personalize your processional song is to pair the song with the venue surroundings—like Bob Marley for a beach wedding, Etta James for a classic ballroom setting, or Arcade Fire for a modern space. That said, "you don't want anything too dancey," Chaimson advises, and avoid things like distracting lyrics. "Keep it simple and beautiful," he says. With those tips in mind, here are 25 of the best songs to walk down to the aisle to that you haven't heard a million times before (we're looking at you, Canon in D).